Ethiopia registers 873 new Covid-19 cases

Meanwhile, 10 new virus-related deaths and 74 more recoveries were reported, bringing the national death toll to 4,450 and total recoveries to 264,872, the ministry said. 

There were 16,962 active cases nationwide as of Wednesday, of whom 342 were severe, said the ministry. 

Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation, has so far reported the highest Covid-19 caseload in the East Africa region, the Xinhua news agency reported. 

It is among the countries hardest hit by Covid-19 in Africa, following South Africa, Morocco and Tunisia. 

Amid the national push for vaccination, the East African country has so far administered a total of 2,297,485 Covid-19 vaccine doses, according to the ministry.